Something Gained, Something Lost
by WiiFan2009
Summary: As Makoto and Kyoko adapt to the the changes accompanying Kyoko's pregnancy, a stranger with ties to her grandfather pays them a visit at their home. What does this stranger, or Fuhito, want with the expectant parents?
1. Fuhito's Associate Visits

A/N: Well, here's the next entry in my Danganronpa Gaiden series, taking place approximately three months after Kyoko becomes pregnant with their first child. Please read and review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Something Gained, Something Lost

Chapter One: Fuhito's Associate Visits

"Alright, shall we set up the movie?"

Makoto nodded, the DVD already in his hands as he walked to insert the disc in their DVD player. As Makoto walked back to the couch, Kyoko moved to sit down, before being startled by Makoto's interjection.

"Wait!"

Stopping mid-motion, she looked to her husband in confusion before he grabbed the throw pillow and placed it against her seat.

"There; now you'll be all comfy."

Rolling her eyes at her husband's dramatics, Kyoko sat down finally as she pulled the lever next to her, activating the sofa's recliner as her feet rose into the air.

Looking alarmed, Makoto protested "I could have done that for you if you asked; I don't want you to strain yourself!"

Resisting the urge to sigh at her well-intentioned husband, Kyoko forced a smile on her face as Makoto hit the play button on the remote.

_And I thought Mom and Dad were coddling…_

Kyoko looked down to her currently small baby bump, thinking back to about a month ago when the loving couple had broken the news of Kyoko's pregnancy to their parents and Komaru.

XXX

*Squeal!*

That was the deafening sound that came from Hana and Komaru's mouths, causing Makoto and his two-month pregnant wife to cover their ears.

As soon as they were done, the mother and sister-in-law each wrapped Kyoko in an embrace, taking great care not to suffocate the expectant mother.

"That's wonderful, Kyoko! I can't wait to meet my first grand-baby! Have you two thought up any names? What gender are you hoping for?"

As Kyoko was about to think of an answer to Hana's questions, Komaru interjected "I can't believe I'm gonna be Auntie Komaru! How was the sex? My brother made you feel good, right? Please tell me he made you feel good!"

Though both spouses blushed instantly, Makoto managed to deliver an admonishing glare towards his sister's way for the much too personal question. Before he could verbally scold her however, Shingi clapped him on the back, startling the younger Naegi and causing him to stumble.

Wrapping his left arm around Makoto's neck in a half-headlock, his father congratulated "Well, done, Makoto! And on the first try!"

"DAD!"

As an embarrassed Makoto started to bicker with his father, the two Naegi women released Komaru from their dual hug. Smiling softly, Kyoko sat down in the middle of the family sofa, her stomach feeling only slightly queasy from her morning sickness. Recognizing the signs from her own days of carryi8ng Makoto and Komaru, Hana sat down next to her daughter-in-law, reaching across with her left hand to soothingly rub Kyoko's belly. Once Komaru caught on, she sat down on Kyoko's other side and mirrored her mother's ministrations with her right hand.

Swallowing her reflexive objections that the massage was unnecessary, Kyoko leaned back and let the two women at her side soothe her belly. Her sigh of comfort however caught the attention of the two bickering men; turning around, Shingi smirked teasingly at Makoto.

"You'd better be more attentive, son. Looks like your mother and sister are competing for your spot as your wife's caretaker." Playing along, Shingi kneeled in front of Kyoko and asked "Is there anything else you need, Kyoko? Water, some saltines? A pillow?"

Mortified, Makoto inadvertently saved his wife from further coddling, which was making her just slightly uncomfortable due to her independent nature by yelling "I'm plenty attentive! Mom, Dad, Komaru! I can take care of all of that! She's MY wife, after all!"

XXX

Now however, she felt coddled by her own husband, who was starting to get on her nerves by how much he insisted on doing everything for her.

"Are your feet sore at all? Do you want me to get a pillow for them?"

Kyoko felt the last shreds of her patience break as she sighed, forcefully grabbing the remote from Makoto and pressing the pause button, stopping their movie barely five minutes in.

"K…Kyoko? What's wrong?"

Glaring at him with her signature Kirigiri glare, she snapped at him "For kami's sake, Naegi-kun! I'm only pregnant, not bedridden. I can do all these things myself. We're just into the second trimester; I'm **barely **starting to show!"

Kyoko panted as Makoto's eyes widened in shock at the fact that his wife had yelled at him, a rarity for the couple. Once she had calmed down, Kyoko's eyes and thoughts wandered to her baby bump, distracting her from her irritation at her husband. While it was true that her belly had started to swell within the past week or two, it was still at a point where her skirts had only started to feel snug against her belly. She made a mental reminder that week to go shopping with Makoto for maternity clothes soon, but it wasn't on her urgent to-do list.

Her internal thoughts were interrupted as she heard the familiar gasp of a repressed sob. Her eyes widening, she looked back up to Makoto; tears were streaming down his face like waterfalls, his throat visibly bulging out with each sob he held back, trying hard to avoid overreacting to his wife's outburst.

"I…I'm sor…sor…sor…"

_…Way to go, Kyoko Naegi; you made your husband cry. Another broken promise to add to your collection!_

Kyoko's eyes softened as she reached up to cradle his face in her hands, thumbs wiping his tears away as she stroked just under his eyes. She leaned closer to pepper his face in soft, reassuring kisses as she sought to force back Makoto's tidal wave of anguish before it could overflow.

"Shh…" she soothed. "It's okay, Makoto. I'm sorry too." Taking a moment to glance at her baby bump before meeting his eyes again, she acknowledged "These damn mood swings have been impacting my patience with you. I know you only have my best interests at heart, as well as those of our baby." She grabbed his hand, guiding it with hers under her shirt to rest against her baby bump before continuing "I'm grateful, Makoto. You've been the most attentive, loving, nurturing husband any girl could ask for, and you're only proving that you'll be an equally good father."

Kyoko felt her husband's muscles start to relax, a small smile tugging at his lips from her complements. Kyoko gave a soft smile at his improved mood before continuing her explanation.

"But I was a very independent girl before I me you, Makoto. I was used to doing things my own way, and my grandfather trained me to handle everything myself, to depend on no one and to trust no one. You changed me for the better, Makoto, but my desire for independence still remains to some degree. And well, when you kept doing all the little things **for** me, this early in my pregnancy…it started to get on my nerves. But that was no excuse for me to snap at you. And I never should have referred to you by your last name. We're much closer than that, and you deserve better."

"Kyoko…"

Looking to her husband with a serious compassion, Kyoko continued "I'll…try to do a better job of not letting my minor irritations control my emotions. But, Makoto, can you just promise me one thing? Can you just permit me a little more autonomy with the little things? Let me get my own food, let me get my own pillows, any minor, menial tasks, let me handle for myself. At least until we start January, okay? Then we'll be in the final trimester. It'll be a lot harder for me to move around with the baby growing so much, so I'll let you pamper and wait on me as much as you want from then until the baby comes, okay?"

Taking all of Kyoko's request and promise into account, Makoto smiled and agreed "Sure, I think I can agree to that. I'm sorry I coddled you so much."

He then leaned down, using his free hand to untuck the front of her shirt from her skirt and rolling it up to expose her slightly swelling belly cooing once his face was up against her skin "I'm sorry, baby. Daddy messed up and made you and Mommy uncomfortable. Mommy said she forgives me though; can you forgive Daddy too?"

Rolling her eyes and giggling at her husband's attempts to talk to their baby through her belly, Kyoko told him "You've still got another month or so to go before you'll get any response from your baby, sweetie."

Makoto smiled, a peaceful moment shared between the two spouses, before a light bulb went off in Makoto's head; he stood up before notifying "I'll be right back."

Confused, Kyoko asked "Where are you going? Don't you want to finish the movie?"

Shaking his head, he explained "We can finish it later. I just need to grab something quickly. Stay there, alright?"

With that, Makoto quickly jogged into their bedroom. Sighing in slight exasperation, Kyoko leaned back, relaxing as she curled her shirt back down to cover her baby bump. It wasn't long before Makoto came back, sitting next to her with a familiar book in his hands.

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, Kyoko asked "Isn't that the album of your baby pictures?"

"Y…yeah. I thought…" Makoto blushed as he finished "I thought maybe…we could look at them together…"

Confused, Kyoko reminded him "But you hate looking at your baby pictures…or when I look at them, for that matter."

Makoto forced himself to not turn away as he admitted "It's not that I…hat it, per se…it's just…I get embarrassed by looking at them. It…kind of reminds me of when Mom threatened to show them to you during that Christmas you came to visit while we were dating."

Her eyes softening in understanding, Kyoko asked "So then why…"

"Because **you** like looking at them. And well, I thought that doing something you like would be a good way to make up for coddling you, even if it makes me embarrassed…"

Smiling at her husband's reddened, yet determined face, Kyoko reached for the book so that it was settled in both of their laps and opened the front cover, saying "Come on, sweetie. Ooh!" She pointed to the first picture and cooed "Look at this one!"

Makoto chuckled as he looked down at the old Polaroid of an infant Makoto being spoon-fed by his mother, wearing only a white diaper.

"Ha! Look at this one! You were so cute, Makoto!"

XXX

An hour later, the two hadn't moved from their spots, Kyoko still giggling at each picture, while Makoto kept an embarrassed smile through it all, his cheeks blushing pink. They were currently looking at one of the pictures from his toddler years; an almost two-year-old Komaru was sitting on her three-year-old brother's back, yanking on his ahoge as the boy had an exasperated look on his face.

"Is that your sister using you to play horsey?"

Nodding, Makoto replied "Yeah; Komaru liked to do that all the time without asking me. We were still close, don't get me wrong, but Komaru did like to get on my nerves a lot when we were little."

Smiling at her husband, Kyoko remarked "It looks like you definitely had an interesting childhood, Makoto. I've always envied that."

"…Is that why you like looking at these old photos of me?"

"…I suppose that's one way of putting it. To be more accurate, I…I miss the days when I was truly happy as a little girl; when I was being raised by both my mother and my father…before my grandfather apprenticed me. When I look at these pictures of you as a baby, I…I feel like I'm getting a small piece of that part of my past back."

"Kyoko…"

Her face becoming serious for a moment, Kyoko questioned "Makoto, I know it's a little early to be contemplating this, but would you be open to having more children after this one? To give our baby a brother or sister, so that they could have the same experiences that you had with Komaru?"

"Um…" Makoto admitted "I haven't really thought about it, to be honest. I mean, conceptually, I'm okay with having more than one baby. But I…I'm not sure that we necessarily need to have our kids be as close in age as Komaru and I are." Placing his hand over her baby bump, Makoto confessed "I kind of want to spend at least a couple of years getting to know this baby before we start trying for Naegi Number Two, you know? But if you want another one sooner than that, I'll…"

Makoto flashed back to the night of their baby's conception, feeling his arousal heating and attempting to stand up in his jeans before he willed it back down by taking a deep breath.

"If it's what you want, I'll happily give you another baby."

Smiling, Kyoko placed her palm against his cheek as she assured him "I think your opinion makes sense; I kind of want to enjoy my time growing and caring for this baby too. I want to give them a sibling someday; your relationship with Komaru is something I never had, and I kind of wish I did. But you're right; there's nothing wrong with taking a couple years before we have another."

She placed her hand next to his, both of them feeling their joy swell as they daydreamed about life with the baby growing in her womb, before they were interrupted by a ring of their doorbell. Makoto removed his hand and stood up, turning towards the door.

"I'll…may I get it?"

Kyoko smiled, appreciative at his obedience of her request before nodding and assenting "It's okay if you want to be the one to answer the door for me."

Smiling, Makoto moved towards the main door, the bell ringing a second time as he opened it. On the other side stood a tall, lanky elderly man with gray hair that ended at the top of his ears. Inside one of his wrinkled hands was the handle of a suitcase that hung near his knees.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Coughing in his free hand, the stranger answered "Yes, my name is Daisuke Odashi. I'm from the Kirigiri Detective Agency. Is this the residence of Kyoko Kirigiri?"

_Kirigiri Detective Agency? It must be her grandfather's; it would explain why he referred to her as Kirigiri instead of Naegi, since he never came to our wedding…_ Hesitant about letting one of her grandfather's possible associates in to see his wife given the severity of their final goodbye, Makoto requested "Wait one moment, please…" before gently closing the door and walking back to the couch to seek his wife's counsel.

XXX

_My grandfather probably ordered him to not return until his message was delivered. It's best to just hear him out and send him on his way as efficiently as possible_.

That was Kyoko's justification for letting Daisuke into their home. The three of them sat at the table in their kitchen, the two Naegis sitting across from their unexpected guest.

"It's uh…it's a pleasure to meet you in person, Miss Kirigiri…"

"I changed my name after I married my husband. It's Kyoko Naegi now."

Looking down in embarrassment at the mistake, Daisuke replied "My apologies, Mrs. NAegi. Your grandfather never told us you had been officially married, and he always described you as a proud Kirigiri detective, so I assumed…"

"It's fine. Now, what does my grandfather want?"

Tugging at his collar, Daisuke stammered "Well, it's not so much about what he wants as…" Sighing, Daisuke finished "I'll just get right to the point." His eyes taking a saddened, solemn glow, Daisuke announced "Mr. and Mrs. Naegi, it pains me to inform you that Fuhito Kirigiri is dead."


	2. Fuhito's Last Testaments

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Something Gained, Something Lost

Chapter Two: Fuhito's Last Testaments

_Fuhito Kirigiri is dead._

Time stopped as those four words rang through the Naegis' ears, a truth that they were far from prepared to confront.

Kyoko felt conflicted; part of her remembered how he had treated Makoto when they last saw each other, physically abusing him and yelling at him, going as far as to disown her when she made clear that her loyalty to Makoto was absolute. The part of her that was taught to hold a grudge ironically tempted her to hold one against the very mentor who had taught it to her. But even so, there was still a part of her that recognized that he was her only relative on her side of the family, a part that still loved him as her guardian. Two sides, locked in a tug of rope for dominance; one that said "Good Riddance", another that wanted to cry out in grief at the loss of the most important person to her before Makoto entered her life.

Makoto only felt pure shock at the sudden, unexpected revelation. Fuhito might have been old, but he stuck out in Makoto's mind as someone who could and would easily jump out of retirement if a case piqued his interest. To know that he was actually dead seemed at odds with his entire conception of Kyoko's grandfather.

Makoto also remembered how their last meeting had gone, recalling the near depression that Kyoko had quickly pulled him out of after the elderly detective disowned them both. Unlike his wife however, Makoto held not an ounce of a grudge against the deceased detective. Sure, he disagreed with some of the Kirigiri traditions, and he didn't exactly approve of some of the ways that Fuhito had raised Kyoko, but the fact remained that Fuhito trained Kyoko in her craft, and Kyoko had put that craft to its fullest potential in helping him and the other survivors navigate through Junko's Killing Game. For that alone, Fuhito had earned Makoto's respect and admiration. Makoto had even held out a shimmer of hope that time would soften the old man's resolve and welcome back at least Kyoko into his life.

_There's no chance of that happening now…Kyoko…_

Makoto turned to his wife, worrying for her emotional state. He could see over the months since that cutting ties with her grandfather, despite being the lesser of two evils, still hurt her. He could tell that part of her still loved her grandfather, and that she was secretly grieving for the guardian and teacher that she had just lost.

Both of their thoughts were interrupted by the click of Daisuke's suitcase; the elderly man had placed his in front of him and opened it while they were lost in thought. They watched as he withdrew a stack of large, yellow envelopes before shutting his suitcase again and placing it by his feet.

Taking the first two from his pile, he handed them to Kyoko and Makoto as he explained "Before he died, Fuhito left specific instructions to leave these letters with the two of you."

_Letters? For us?_

Daisuke then took the third envelope and slid it in front of them, explaining "In addition, he left this for the two of you. He wouldn't say what was in it, only for me to recommend that you open it after reading your respective letters." Next, Daisuke took the final envelope and slid it next to the third envelope, explaining "He also insisted that a copy of his will be personally delivered to his next of kin. Since his son is deceased, that leaves the two of you."

_Two of us?_

As Makoto and Kyoko wondered what he meant by that, Daisuke reached for his suitcase and stood up.

"Lastly, the Kirigiri Detective Agency will be hosting the memorial service at our HQ on October 6th at noon. You're under no obligation to come of course, but the Agency is extending a formal invitation all the same. If you choose to attend, you are free to bring any family or friends with you." Sighing, he finished "My business with the two of you is concluded, so I will be on my way. Thank you for letting me relay this development to the two of you."

The couple watched as the old man bowed and walked out of their apartment. The two looked at each other, still trying to process what just happened. Makoto looked down at the envelope with his letter in it; he was tempted to open it and see what message the man who had previously berated him had sent, but he also wanted this to be a decision made together with his wife.

_If Kyoko doesn't want to open hers, then I won't open mine._ Turning to his wife, he asked "So…what do you…"

"…I need time. Can we talk about this…when we're ready to go to bed?"

Nodding, Makoto accepted "Of course. We're in this together, so until you decide what you want, I won't open mine."

Smiling at her husband's desire for unity, Kyoko turned in the direction of their bedroom, gathering the four envelopes in her hands and getting up from her chair, Makoto standing immediately after her.

Blushing, Kyoko asked "I'd like to take a bath to calm myself down. Would you …would you mind joining me? No sex; just…hold me in our tub and help me relax. Please?"

Smiling, Makoto nodded and assured her "Whatever you need" before following her to their shared bedroom and bathtub.

XXX

True to his word, Makoto made no move for any kind of sexual pleasure, nor did he feel a hint of arousal, despite the fact that his wife was naked and taking a bath with him. He simply sat behind her, embracing her while soaking in the tub and stroking her belly with his fingers, massaging the secretly grieving mother-to-be and helping her to stay calm. And when they got out, Makoto used the nearby towel to help dry her body like she did for him when his parents were hospitalized.

The two were currently lying down in bed, Kyoko wearing her lavender nightgown while Makoto wore his signature footie-hoodie pajamas. Makoto was currently spooning his beloved wife, gently holding her close while Kyoko indecisively stared at the four envelopes, currently plopped on her dresser.

"…Makoto?"

"Hm?"

Kyoko turned her head to face him and continued "…I think we should open them. If we don't confirm the truth with our own eyes, then we'll never be truly satisfied, and we won't truly move forward from this."

Softly smiling at her, Makoto replied "Okay."

Kyoko then reached over for her envelope, deciding "I'll go first."

As she tore off the flap with her finger, her hands trembled, shakily trying to remove the paper from its home before she felt Makoto cover her hand with his own.

"Makoto?"

He gave a reassuring smile as he soothed "It's okay, Kyoko. You don't have to be anxious. You don't have to be scared. We'll do it together, alright?"

A single happy tear escaping her, she smiled before nodding and refocused her attention on the letter, her and Makoto both grasping it in their fingers.

"On three, alright?" Seeing Makoto nod in accord, she counted "One, Two, Three."

They both yanked up, bringing the piece of paper in front of their line of sight. Feeling her husband's arms wrap around her abdomen again, she took a deep breath and began to read.

"Dear Kyoko,

If you're reading this, then I'm already dead. Kyoko, not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about the last time I saw you and your fiancé. I've had a lot of time to think, living alone is this miserable mansion, and I was wrong. I was wrong to disown you, and I was wrong to investigate and abuse Makoto like I did. I've come to regret what I did that day; truthfully, there's a lot more I've come to regret.

I've regretted teaching you not to form emotional connections. I've regretted teaching you to trust no one. I've regretted chasing away all of your friends. I've regretted not being a warmer guardian when your parents died. I've regretted encouraging you to hate your father. And I've regretted forbidding you from seeing your mother before she died. It's my regrets, and my loneliness from having disowned my only granddaughter, that have been slowly killing me over the months.

In my final moments, I truly am sorry for all the pain I've caused, and I'm thankful that Makoto was able to be there for you in ways that I couldn't be. I know I don't deserve it, but I'm desperate enough now that I'm going to beg for your forgiveness. I have much to answer for, but I hope that I'll get to see your parents again, and if I do, the first thing I'm going to do is apologize to them for all the pain I've caused them.

I truly hope you are happy in whatever career you've chosen for yourself. And I hope that you have a loving family with Makoto; I know he'll make an excellent husband someday, assuming you two haven't gotten married already. I'm sorry I didn't say it before. And I'm sorry I never told you how much I treasured you. I know I primarily took you in to train you as an heir to the Kirigiri line of detectives, but I truly did and do love you as my granddaughter.

Love,

Ojii-san."

In the past, Kyoko might have been skeptic of her grandfather's words; after all, he had pretended to apologize before only to berate Makoto and disown them both. But Kyoko felt different this time; she felt like her grandfather was being sincere with his last testament to her.

"He apologized…I can't believe…he apologized…"

Turning in her husband's vice, she embraced him, burying her head in his chest. Makoto smiled, rubbing soothing circles into his wife's back as she struggled to regain her composure.

As she raised her head from his chest, Makoto remarked "I guess time did soften him after all. Inhis final moments, he was thinking of you."

"…Of us" Kyoko corrected. "Speaking of which…" Kyoko reached over and grabbed the second envelope from the stack, holding it in front of them and finishing "Your turn."

Nodding, Makoto and his wife repeated their unified opening of the envelope, taking it out of the envelope. As Makoto began to read, Kyoko lay facing him, ready to move if he showed signs of needing to be comforted.

"Dear Makoto Naegi,

My granddaughter has doubtless shared the contents of the letter I sent her to you, so I won't repeat them here. I'd like to make some confessions relevant to you.

When you came into my home and submitted to my interrogation, despite my reactions to the contrary, I was actually impressed with your answers; too impressed, as it turns out. I was raised to believe that forming emotional connections was wrong, that trusting another person and depending on them made a detective weak, and that marriage was only good for continuing the detective legacy. And I tried to teach those lessons to Jin and to Kyoko. I imagine you disagreed with at least some of them, given your evident personality, but it was the only life I knew how to live.

But seeing your strength in the Class Trials, seeing you willing to give your life to protect my granddaughter, seeing you successfully stand up to the Ultimate Despair, well, you proved me wrong, my boy. And the implication that you had proved my entire way of life wrong, well I let my anger get the better of me. So I became determined to find fault in you, to make my granddaughter see that there were better, stronger men out there who would be much better to help her continue the detective legacy.

But then something happened I wasn't expecting. You and Kyoko stood together; you supported each other, complemented each other. Even though your personality was the exact opposite of my ideal for a Kirigiri Detective, you demonstrated great promise as one. Not only that, but you loved Kyoko enough that you told me you'd let her choose your own path. And seeing all of my preconceptions get torn down, well, I was jealous. I was jealous of you, of your optimism, of how you could so easily display your emotions and yet still show the analytical and deductive qualities that made the Kirigiris such powerful detectives.

In my jealousy, I lashed out, kicking you both out. Afterwards, I had some time to think, and I realized my granddaughter was right; who would want my last name when it's obviously caused so much heartache and suffering? A name filled with hope like Naegi would be so much better for her. My stubborn clinging to tradition has left me bitter and alone in my final moments. I wanted to seek you both out and clear the air for so long, but my stubborn pride kept me from doing so.

I hope there's still enough kindness in your hearts to forgive the misgivings of a stubborn, old man. I hope you and Kyoko live long and happy lives together, and know that I'm proud to consider you my grandson in my final days, Makoto Kirigiri.

Sincerely,

Fuhito Kirigiri"

Makoto's eyes teared up, his hands quaking as he took in everything that Fuhito had written before he died.

"Makoto Kirigiri…Makoto Kirigiri…he…he accepted me…he was proud of me!"

His wife embraced him, burying his face on her breast as she assured him "Yes, he was. It's like I said, you are truly worthy of being part of the Kirigiri line, Makoto."

Makoto removed his head from her to look at his wife, beaming at her with an ecstatic grin. Ruffling his hair with one hand and watching him laugh with glee, Kyoko smiled at the fact that her grandfather had tried to make amends.

Reaching over for the third envelope, Kyoko held it in front of them.

"Let's see what's in envelope number three."

Nodding, they tore it open and pulled out its contents together, an aged piece of parchment with names etched in all over it.

"Makoto, look!" Kyoko's eyes widened in shock as she explained "It's the Kirigiri family tree!"

She was right; Makoto quickly scanned the document and found among the names "Kirigiri Fuhito". He also found two names next to two blackened marks; "Kirigiri Jin" and "Kirigiri Kyoko".

"He added you and Dad back in after he kicked both of you out!"

"And that's not all; look!"

He looked next to Kyoko's name where her finger was pointing; there was a horizontal line of marital relation next to her name where he found a single name etched in: "Naegi Makoto."

"He added you to the family tree, Makoto."

Makoto gasped, awestruck as he stammered "He really…considered me…family!"

Kyoko leaned in to peck his nose as she told him "I told you that you were part of the Kirigiri family. This just makes it official."

Makoto grinned with glee at the lengths Fuhito went to accept him before he died, making his wife smile at how happy he was.

"Alright, one more to go."

Kyoko reached over, taking the last envelope and holding it in front of them, opening it together one last time as they removed a single sheet of paper. The two took a deep breath and began to read Fuhito's will together.

"I, Fuhito Kirigiri, leave the whole of my estate, including ownership of my residence to my granddaughter, Kyoko Kirigiri, and my future grandson-in-law, Makoto Naegi. All taxes and fees imposed on the value of my estate shall be paid by the Kirigiri Detective Agency."

"He…he left us his home!" Looking to his wife, he asked "Kyoko…what do we do?"

"…We can decide on that later. We're not in any rush to change residences, so let's save that discussion for another night…More importantly…" Kyoko sighed and looked up at her husband, a serious expression on her face as she confessed "Makoto…I'd like to attend the service. I have to pay my last respects, and there are some things I'd like to say to him one last time. Would you please consider accompanying me?"

Makoto frowned internally; October 6th was also Kyoko's birthday, and he had been wanting to do something special for her birthday. But he would never be so selfish as to urge them to not pay their last respects to her late grandfather just because the date was inconvenient.

Nodding, Makoto confirmed "Of course; there are some things I need to say to him too. And we can ask Mom and Dad and Komaru to come too; you know, for emotional support?"

Nodding, Kyoko softly smiled, consenting "I'd like that, sweetie."

Makoto embraced Kyoko as he urged "Let's get to sleep." Moving a hand to rest over her baby bump, he continued "You two have had a long and hard day after all."

Smiling, Kyoko gathered up the envelopes and their contents with one hand, placing them back on her dresser before she reached for the blanket's edge, draping it over them before snuggling into her husband, who rubbed soothing circles into her back, lulling her to sleep.

"Good night Kyoko. Good night, my baby. I love you."

Yawning, Kyoko surrendered to slumber, murmuring "We love you too" before nodding off.

Makoto soon found himself feeling drowsy at the sight of a safe and slumbering Kyoko, nuzzling her breast with his cheek as he yawned and closed his eyes, his snoring soon ringing throughout the room.

"Jii-chan, thank you for everything."


	3. Farewell, Kirigiri! Kyoko's New Fears?

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Something Gained, Something Lost

Chapter Three: Farewell, Kirigiri! Kyoko's New Fears?

Makoto and Kyoko stepped out of the car in front of a dull gray colored one story, red sign attached to the front that read "Kirigiri Detective Agency." They were dressed in black business suits, Kyoko's hair tied back into a ponytail reminiscent of her Future Foundation days. Makoto had even used gel to keep his ahoge down out of respect. It was then that they saw a man and two women in similar suits standing not far away, waving them over.

"Mom, Dad, Komaru!" Makoto called over softly as he and Kyoko approached their guests.

Their parents and little sister took turns embracing the young couple, Hana embracing her daughter-in-law with a little more vigor than usual.

"Oh, Kyoko. My darling Kyoko…I'm so sorry."

Smiling in comfort at her mother-in-law's loving gesture, she patted Hana's back as she assured her "It's okay, Mother. Makoto and I are handling ourselves. Tragedy is…something we're used to powering through, unfortunately."

All of their faces looked down at the ground, remembering all of the victims of the Killing Games that had died thanks to Junko's sadistic schemes.

Eventually, Hana interjected "Well, you don't need to power on through this time. You're allowed to cry if you need to."

Smiling sadly, Kyoko informed her "I'm afraid Makoto's already beaten you to it. He's made clear far too many times in the car ride here that I can cry on his shoulder if I feel the urge to."

Smiling sadly, Makoto placed his hand on her shoulder, silently offering his reassurance. Kyoko smiled and placed her own on top of his in return.

In a rare moment of seriousness, Shingi counseled "It's important that you two are comfortable with leaning on each other, now more than ever. Dealing with the grief of losing a loved one is crucial for a married couple, especially someone who loved you very much."

Komaru bit her lip, barely holding back her objections to that claim. This didn't go unnoticed by her brother, who sighed before releasing his wife's shoulder to walk up to his little lister and lay his hands on her shoulders.

"Komaru, I know you still hold a grudge against Kyoko's grandfather for what he said and did, and I don't blame you. But this is a day to celebrate his life and mourn his loss. If nothing else, try to remember that without him, Kyoko would never have been brought into this world, and we would all be dead." Looking to his wife, who was blushing at the speech, Makoto turned back to his sister and finished "Besides,…I won't go into details…but I can say definitively that in the end, he felt remorse for what he did and genuinely tried to make amends."

Sighing, Komaru acquiesced "Okay, Onii-chan. I promise I'll hold my tongue."

Smiling, Makoto moved to hug his sister before moving back to hold his wife's hand, suggesting "We should get moving; we don't want to miss any of the ceremony."

"Oh, one last thing. I know we're mainly here for Mr. Kirigiri's memorial service, but this should be recognized today too." Shingi reached into his jacker's pocket and withdrew a small, wooden box, handing it to his wife as she opened it, revealing a small, chocolate cupcake with a lone candle sticking out on top. Kyoko gasped, her eyes sparkling as her mother-in-law took her by surprise.

Smiling warmly, Hana took out a cigarette lighter as she congratulated softly "Happy Birthday, Kyoko."

"Mommy…" Kyoko's eyes brimmed with happy tears as she took in just how thoughtful her mother-in-law was. "I…I don't know what to say…"

Still smiling, Hana lit the candle as she urged "Make a wish, darling."

Smiling from ear to ear, Kyoko leaned forward, taking one hand and holding it over her belly button as she decided "I wish…I wish for long, happy, and healthy life for our baby."

With a single breath, the candle was snuffed out, all parties smiling broadly at the purity of Kyoko's wish, Makot's hand reaching over to place it over her own.

Kyoko looked at her husband while Hana closed the box again, handing it to her husband to place in his pocket again until the ceremony was concluded.

"Makoto…I know you wanted to do something for my birthday…I promise, this coming weekend, we can celebrate it however you like…just the two of us."

Smiling, Makoto replied "I'd like that." He then threaded his hand with Kyoko's removing them from her baby bump as he suggested "Alright, let's get going. Hopefully we haven't missed any fo the service."

With that, the Naegi party walked towards the entrance of the Agency, preparing themselves to pay their last respects to the detective known as Fuhito Kirigiri.

XXX

The service went off without a hitch; the Naegi party was able to sit in the front row. In a rare display of emotion, during the priest's sermon Kyoko took Hana and Makoto's advice and leaned into her husband's shoulder, crying silent tears as she mourned the death of her grandfather. Makoto moved his right hand to hold her head against him, stroking the back of her head with his thumb as his left hand grabbed her own to give it comforting squeezes, shedding silent tears of his own as he let himself be an anchor for his wife. Hana and Shingi watched their children with sorrow and concern, their hearts breaking for how much the expectant parents had lost so early in their lives. Komaru was the only one with a neutral expression, all of her energy focused on keeping her promise to her big brother.

Eventually the sermon concluded and most of the other attendees dissipated, leaving the Naegi party sitting alone. Makoto moved his hand from Kyoko's head to the small of her back, helping her to stand up with him.

"Do you want to go up to the altar now and pay your last respects?"

Kyoko nodded and the two of them slowly walked forward to the urn containing Fuhito's ashes. Wiping her eyes on her wrist and taking a deep breath, Kyoko began to speak.

"I'm still mad at you, you know. Even not taking into account how you refused to let me see my ailing mother, encouraged me to hate my father, and hurt my husband, there's a lot I'm angry with you for. You missed our wedding, you missed meeting Makoto's family, and you're going to miss the birth of your first great-grandchild. And I…*sniff*…I can't **not **be angry about that." Feeling Makoto squeeze her hand, she took a deep breath and finished "But even so…I'm going to forgive you. You tried to make amends at the end, and I can't begin to tell you how much I valued that sincerity. I won't hold any more grudges, and Makoto and I will live a long and happy life together. But…I'll miss you, Jii-chan."

Kyoko stepped back and sniffled, trading places with her husband as he stepped up to the urn and began his remarks.

"I know…we didn't exactly get along when we first met. But…I'm so grateful to you. You r existence made it possible for Kyoko to be born. I might…have disagreed with some of your choices in raising her, but you still taught her everything you knew. She saved me more than once…saved the whole world, all because of you. For that alone, I am eternally grateful to you. I'll miss the relationship we could have had, and I promise I'll honor your memory, Jii-chan."

Stepping away, Makoto latched onto Kyoko's hand again, the two of them turning around to lock eyes with their family.

"Shall we go?"

Hesitantly, Komaru raised her voice "Um…if it's okay, may I say some final words to your grandfather, Kyoko?"

Searching her eyes for a moment, making Komaru squirm uncomfortably, Kyoko smiled and nodded, consenting "That should be fine. We'll give you some space."

As the couple moved back to their seats and Komaru walked up to the urn, Makoto touched her shoulder briefly as he gently warned "Be nice to him, Komaru."

Nodding, Komaru continued to walk forward once Makoto had released his grip, stopping right in front of the urn and taking a deep breath, taking care to watch her every word as she began her remarks.

"Ano…I know you and I never actually met, so it doesn't make much sense for me to be addressing you when we don't even know each other. But…there are some things I need to say to you while I have the chance. I…I was angry with you. When I heard how you hurt my brother, not once, but twice, I…I've never hated anyone before. Junko came the closest, but I can't deny that I disliked you. However…my sister Kyoko is right; I can't keep holding a grudge for something that happened years ago, especially since she and my brother Makoto said tha you tried to make amends. So…I'm gonna try to let go of it…I'm gonna try to see you as Kyoko's grandfather who raised and loved her. I'm not gonna be perfect, and I'll probably mess up a few times, but I'm gonna try my hardest to forgive you."

When she moved back to her seat, she saw Makoto smiling proudly at her, making her blush as he praised "I'm proud of you, sis." Looking to everyone else, Makoto asked "Well, should we go?"

As they moved to stand up, a growl came from Kyoko's belly, making her blush as ash admitted "I suppose I am eating for two now…" She looked to Shingi and asked "Dad, do you still have that cupcake you brought for my birthday?"

Nodding, Shingi reached into his pocket and retrieved the box, handing it to Kyoko who opened it and removed the cupcake with both of her hands, bringing it to her lips as she started to nibble around the circumference. As her hunger became sated, her mind started to wander, the occasion's somber environment affecting her mood.

_My parents are dead. My grandfather is dead. Makoto almost died. I almost died. Sooner or later, death will come for us all._ She looked down to her baby bump realizing _Even the baby growing in my womb will die one day…_

XXX

Later that evening, the grieving couple was lying in bed, the covers currently at their feet. Kyoko had foregone her nightgown, choosing to sleep only in her black lace panties. Makoto was in his signature blue footie-hoodie pajamas, though once they had laid down, Kyoko had taken hold of the zipper on his front, silencing his confused question by placing a finger to his lips before unzipping his pajamas to the waistband of his boxers. She then proceeded to open the two flaps until his bare chest was revealed.

Rather than engage in sexual foreplay like Makoto first thought was going to happen, Kyoko merely turned her head and laid it against his now bare chest. Her ear rested between his nipples against his ribcage, right over his heart so that she could listen to the *thump thump* of his heartbeat.

Confused, Makoto asked "Um…not that I'm complaining, but is there a reason why you unzipped my pajamas halfway to press your ear against my chest?"

Fidgeting with a lock of her hair, Kyoko confessed "I…I need to know that you're still here. That you're not leaving me. I need to know you're not gonna die on me."

His eyes widening in realization, Makoto reached up to stroke her hair as he assured her "Honey, I'm not gonna die. You're stuck with me for at least the next few decades."

"You…you don't know that. What if you get into a car accident, or stumble into a shooting? Or what if someone else falls into despair and creates a second Tragedy? We've both come so close…so close to dying. Someday our luck is going to run out, and I…I don't want to say goodbye to you, or our baby!"

Kyoko started to cry, her tears falling onto his chest. Alarmed, Makoto wrapped his arms around her in a vice, stroking her bare back with his hand as he desperately tried to soothe her.

_Did going to her grandfather's funeral…awaken a new fear? _"Shh…Kyoko…shh, it's okay. I promise you this, I'm not going to die young. I have to live, so that I can give you and our baby a happy future. Have hope in me, believe in me. I love you, Kyoko, and we're going to live a long time. Our baby is going to live a long time. Mom and Dad and Jii-chan's fates won't be ours. Do you trust me, Kyoko?"

Feeling her sniffle and nod against his chest, Makoto heard her murmur "Always. I always trust you."

"Then trust in me now. Everything's going to be alright. We're healthy, our baby's healthy, and we've got our whole lives ahead of us."

Makoto awkwardly shimmied out of his pajamas, kicking them off of the bed as he lay in his boxers, intertwining his legs with Kyoko's as he kissed the top of her head, the young woman coming down from her emotional high.

"Go to sleep, Kyoko. I promise, our baby and I will still be here in the morning."

Nodding, Kyoko lay still, the sound of Makoto's heartbeat lulling her to sleep as Makoto stroked her back in comfort. Makoto smiled, happy that his wife was finally asleep, though disturbed at how her grandfather's passing had so affected the stoic woman.

"I had no idea…that you felt so insecure about this. I promise Kyoko…I'll always be there for you. I won't die young, I won't let you die young, and I'll make sure we never have to bury any of our children."

Eventually, Kyoko's snoring lulled him to sleep, his arms embracing his wife as he joined her in peaceful slumber.

As they slept, a wizened old specter gazed upon them, soft eyes looking at the couple with sorrow and regret.

"They look cute together, don't they?"

The old man looked behind him to see the ghost of a purple-haired man, dressed in a traditional business suit as he smiled at the slumbering spouses.

"Hey, Dad."

The old man sighed as he returned "Hello Jin. I can't believe I once tried to keep them apart. I…I caused them a lot of pain. And you too…I'm surprised you didn't decide to come and haunt me for what I did during my twilight years."

Slyly smiling, Jin shook his head and teased "Tempting…" Becoming serious, Jin informed his father "But no. The longer you stay dead, the more you realize that anger doesn't really mean anything anymore. It drives the living, but it just makes life unbearable for the dead. Besides, the world's safe, they're happy, and you made amends. I'd say everything worked itself out."

Looking to his son with a strange expression of confusion, Fuhito asked "So…do you really think I'm worthy of forgiveness?"

Beaming, Jin nodded and confirmed "Of course you are."

The two stood there in silence, watching over the sleeping couple, soft smiles on both of their faces.

Eventually though, Jin placed his hand on Fuhito's shoulder as he urged "It's time to go, Dad. Let's leave the living to live out their lives."

Nodding, Fuhito followed his son, taking one last look at the granddaughter and grandson he now treasured before vanishing with the wind.

_Kyoko…Makoto…I love you both._


End file.
